Fashion is a constantly changing mode of dress and behavior. Historians trace the origin of continuous and accelerating change in Western clothing styles to the late medieval period. Fashions may be classified according to their period or place of origin, materials used, quality and workmanship, and decoration. The terms style, mode, vogue, rage and craze describe usages accepted by those who wish to be up-to-date and fashionable.
Fashion includes clothing, footwear and accessories as well as hairstyles, wigs and jewelry. Fashion can also be a way to express one’s self or to show individuality. Historically, fashion has been dictated by an elite few – the haute couture or high-fashion designers and stylists that create a look that becomes an inseparable part of a person’s identity – but this has increasingly been replaced by a trend for individuals to adopt a look that is more their own.
Elements of popular culture have a strong influence on fashion trends. For example musicians and other cultural icons are often the source of new or re-interpreted styles that make their way into the mainstream. People who have a high cultural status can inspire new fashions if they are seen wearing unusual or different clothes from their peers – this is especially true for celebrities.
The fashion industry can be difficult to understand as it uses numerous descriptive expressions and names for various styles of dresses eg empire line, babydoll and wiggle dresses. Knowing the right terms to use can help you describe and analyze fashion more effectively.